TSA screened 1,580,785 people at US airports on Friday, a record high since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Why it matters: The numbers come a day after Rochelle Walensky, director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that although the agency now says fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk, the CDC still doesn’t recommend non-essential travel due to the increase in virus cases, NPR reports.
The big picture: TSA reports more than 1 million passengers screened daily since March 11.
- Mark Howell, a TSA spokesperson, told Axios the increase is due to spring break.
Yes but: “It’s too early to say the travel is back. After all, TSA screening numbers are still pale when compared to pre-pandemic passenger levels,” writes CBS News.
What they say: The agency is preparing for an increase in travel during the summer months, Howell told Axios.
- TSA said in February that it wanted to hire 6,000 new agents by this summer.
- While the agency expects a potential increase in travel, they don’t know if summer rates will hit pre-pandemic levels.